• Associated Press

May 16, 2024, 06:53 PM ET

MINNEAPOLIS —

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    Soto is batting .302 with 9 home runs, 34 RBIs and a .920 OPS in 45 games. He signed a $31 million, one-year contract to avoid salary arbitration after San Diego sent him and outfielder Trent Grisham to New York in a payroll-paring trade in December for catcher Kyle Higashioka and four pitchers.

    Asked about Steinbrenner’s comments Thursday after the Yankees finished a sweep of the Minnesota Twins, Soto said his “door has always been open” to doing a new deal before the fall but stressed that he’s simply trying to prioritize playing well and fitting in.

    “They know the phone number and everything. They know where to call. For me right here, I’m focusing on playing baseball. My thing is try to help the team win,” Soto said.

    Soto in 2022 turned down a 15-year, $440 million offer from the Washington Nationals, betting he’d get a better deal as a free agent after the 2024 season. The Nationals dealt him to the Padres that summer.

    Steinbrenner said in the interview with YES that he wanted to give Soto space to get comfortable before broaching the contract subject with his camp.

    “Let’s focus on 2024, most importantly, winning a championship this year,” Steinbrenner said.

    Soto said he appreciated that. But maybe not as much as having Judge, the 2022 American League MVP, batting behind him.

    The Yankees outscored the Twins 14-1 and outhit them 35-14 in the series. Judge’s on-base-plus-slugging percentage surged from .860 to .948 over the last two games when he went 6-for-7 with a homer, 5 doubles and 2 walks. Soto didn’t enjoy as much success in the series, going 2-for-11 with 3 runs, 2 walks and 5 strikeouts.

    “They pitched him tough, got him a little bit, but that’s why guys don’t hit .500,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It happens in a given series, and he’ll lock it in real quick.”